Ketcham, US

Carl C. Ketcham, Murray, UT US

Patent application number

Description

Published

20130251502

Method and Apparatus for Sensing of Levitated Rotor Position - A pump with magnetically-levitated rotor includes a position sensor having an eddy-current sensor coil that operates as a resonating element in a low frequency oscillator located within the pump housing. The oscillator is operably interconnected with additional electronics that shift the frequency of the oscillator output signal to a lower frequency. The lower frequency signal is directed to a frequency measurement circuit that provides a value representing a position of the rotor.

09-26-2013

Cliff Ketcham, Golden, CO US

Patent application number

Description

Published

20150259723

Firmware Design for Area and Location Data Management of Biological Air Samples Collected on Media Plates - Provided herein are methods and devices that allow for efficient management of many different sampling locations within a facility. A method for operating a biological sampler is described, such as by sampling an environment at a sampling position with the biological sampler and associating the sampling position with a unique identifier, wherein the unique identifier comprises an area and a location. Also provided are associated devices for carrying out the methods.

09-17-2015

20150260617

PARTICLE IMPACTOR WITH SELECTIVE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT - Provided are impactors for detecting biologics having an adjustable separation distance between an impact surface and the intake aperture, including the exit of the intake aperture. The impactor has a sampling head having at least one intake aperture and an exit, an impactor base comprising an impact surface, wherein the impact surface opposibly faces the sampling head exit and is separated from the exit by a separation distance. The separation distance is continuously adjustable between a minimum separation distance and a maximum separation distance and can accommodate impact surfaces having different heights by positioning the impact surface, irrespective of height of the impact surface, at an optimal separation distance from the sample intake aperture, such as by a rotation-type mechanism with a change in distance indication provided to a user by a separation distance step indicator.

09-17-2015

Daniel Ketcham, San Jose, CA US

Patent application number

Description

Published

20140137113

VIRTUAL MACHINE TEMPLATE CREATION BASED ON DATA FEEDS - Data that includes information about an application is retrieved from a data feed. It is determined that the data from the data feed indicates that the application has been updated. In response to a determination that the data from the data feed indicates that the application has been updated, data descriptive of the application is extracted from the data from the data feed. One or more instructions for installing the application are determined based, at least in part, on the data descriptive of the application. In response to determination of the one or more instructions for installing the application, a first virtual machine skeleton that includes the one or more instructions for installing the application is generated.

05-15-2014

20140137114

VIRTUAL MACHINE TEMPLATE CREATION BASED ON DATA FEEDS - Data that includes information about an application is retrieved from a data feed. It is determined that the data from the data feed indicates that the application has been updated. In response to a determination that the data from the data feed indicates that the application has been updated, data descriptive of the application is extracted from the data from the data feed. One or more instructions for installing the application are determined based, at least in part, on the data descriptive of the application. In response to determination of the one or more instructions for installing the application, a first virtual machine skeleton that includes the one or more instructions for installing the application is generated.

05-15-2014

David P. Ketcham, Charlotte, NC US

Patent application number

Description

Published

20080205577

Systems for aligning and handling fuel rods within a nuclear fuel bundle - In a spent fuel pool of a nuclear power plant, there is provided a system for aligning a nuclear fuel bundle and handling selected fuel rods within the fuel bundle. The bundle includes water rods, full-length and part-length fuel rods extending through a plurality of fuel spacers provided between top and bottom ends of the bundle, each spacer having a plurality of cells accommodating corresponding fuel and water rods. The system includes a bundle alignment system for aligning the fuel rods and water rods, a rod grapple tool to extract selected part-length rods from the bundle, and a fuel rod guide block slidable onto the top end of the bundle for protecting an uppermost fuel spacer of the bundle, and for aligning fuel rods within individual cells of all the fuel spacers in the fuel bundle

08-28-2008

20100232564

SYSTEMS FOR ALIGNING AND HANDLING FUEL RODS WITHIN A NUCLEAR FUEL BUNDLE - In a spent fuel pool of a nuclear power plant, there is provided a system for aligning a nuclear fuel bundle and handling selected fuel rods within the fuel bundle. The bundle includes water rods, full-length and part-length fuel rods extending through a plurality of fuel spacers provided between top and bottom ends of the bundle, each spacer having a plurality of cells accommodating corresponding fuel and water rods. The system includes a bundle alignment system for aligning the fuel rods and water rods, a rod grapple tool to extract selected part-length rods from the bundle, and a fuel rod guide block slidable onto the top end of the bundle for protecting an uppermost fuel spacer of the bundle, and for aligning fuel rods within individual cells of all the fuel spacers in the fuel bundle.

09-16-2010

20100246742

SYSTEM FOR ASSEMBLING OR DISASSEMBLING A SEGMENTED ROD - An embodiment of the present invention takes the form of a system that allows for simultaneously assembling or disassembling multiple segmented nuclear fuel rods (hereinafter “segmented rods”). An embodiment of the present invention, may receive, secure, and move the segmented rods into a position that allows for performing the tasks of either assembly or disassembly, allowing for an operator to use a tool to complete the aforementioned tasks.

09-30-2010

20110069802

CONTROL ROD DRIVE OUTER FILTER REMOVAL TOOL - An outer filter removal tool for a boiling water reactor control rod drive that uses a mechanical advantage obtained through the use of lead screw threads to pull the outer filter off of the control rod drive. Fingers on the tool are closed around the upper flange of the outer filter by sliding a collar over the outwardly biased fingers. A shaft extending through the tool is rotated which in turn extends a push plate against the control rod drive index tube causing the fingers to pull against the upper flange on the outer filter until the filter is freed from the control rod drive. The tool will hold the filter in place until affirmatively released for proper disposal.

03-24-2011

20110219609

UNDER VESSEL LOCAL POWER RANGE MONITOR EXCHANGE TOOL - A tool for use in servicing an LPRM assembly of a nuclear reactor vessel includes a structural member having a first bore that is structured to receive an LPRM device associated with the LPRM assembly, a headpiece provided at a first end of the structural member, and a nut engaging assembly slideably mounted on the structural member. The headpiece has a plurality of projections structured to mate with a plurality of bores provided in a seal of the LPRM assembly to enable the seal to be removed, and the nut engaging assembly has a housing that defines a second bore and that has first and second nut engaging portions. The nut engaging assembly is free to slide along the structural member and over the headpiece to a position wherein the engaging portions extend beyond the headpiece so that they may be used to remove the assembly nut.

09-15-2011

20110274231

DUAL DRIVE WINCH AND NUCLEAR REACTOR VESSEL MAINTENANCE APPARATUS EMPLOYING SAME - A dual drive winch having a drive assembly having a first shaft that is selectively movable between a first engaged position and a first disengaged position, and a second shaft that is selectively movable between a second engaged position and a second disengaged position. When the first shaft is in the first engaged position and the second shaft is in the second engaged position simultaneously, rotation of either the first shaft or the second shaft will, through a coupling mechanism, cause rotation of the other of the first shaft and the second shaft.

11-10-2011

20120039428

METHOD FOR ALIGNING AND HANDLING FUEL RODS WITHIN A NUCLEAR FUEL BUNDLE - A method of aligning a nuclear fuel bundle and handling selected fuel rods within the fuel bundle located in a spent fuel pool of a nuclear power plant. The bundle includes water rods, full-length and part-length fuel rods extending through a plurality of fuel spacers provided between top and bottom ends of the bundle, each spacer having a plurality of cells accommodating corresponding fuel and water rods. The method includes insertion of a rod grapple tool into a top end of a fuel bundle and down to a desired location within the bundle. A guide pin retrieval tool inserts into a side of the fuel bundle to remove a guide pin from a distal end of a gripper of the rod grapple tool, allowing the guide pin retrieval tool to grip a part-length fuel rod within the fuel bundle.

02-16-2012

20120069947

SYSTEM FOR EXCHANGING A COMPONENT OF A NUCLEAR REACTOR - A system for installing or removing a component of a nuclear reactor, such as a CRDM, includes a riser apparatus having a lift assembly structured to hold and support the component and a first drive assembly coupled to the lift assembly and structured to selectively move the lift assembly and the component along a length of the riser apparatus, and a transition cart movable along an under vessel area of the nuclear reactor and having a pivot mechanism, wherein the riser apparatus is selectively engageable with the pivot mechanism and the pivot mechanism is structured to selectively rotate the riser apparatus from a horizontal position to a vertical position. The riser apparatus may also include a second drive assembly structured to selectively move the riser apparatus relative to the transition cart in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the riser apparatus.

03-22-2012

Patent applications by David P. Ketcham, Charlotte, NC US

James Ketcham, Shelbyville, KY US

Patent application number

Description

Published

20110184813

TARGETING OFFERS TO USERS OF A WEB SITE - A computer system for targeting offers to users of a web site comprises a memory and a processing circuit. The memory is configured to store a plurality of user attributes for a user and a plurality of rules defining when an offer is to be presented to a user. The processing circuit is configured to transmit a web page to a client device, to receive user interaction data from the client device representing interaction with the web page, to update the user attributes stored in memory in response to the received user interaction data, to determine whether the updated user attributes satisfy a rule, and based on whether the updated user attributes meet the rule to transmit an offer to the client device for display on the web page or a next web page.

James Ketcham, Malibu, CA US

Patent application number

Description

Published

20090231492

SMART SLATE - Techniques used for movie, video, or television production, including: generating production information about recorded data of one of: (1) audio sequence; (2) video sequence; and (3) audio and video sequences; tagging the generated production information with timing information; displaying the generated production information on a display; recording the tagged production information, wherein a clapstick of a slate is used to initiate the recording automatically; and associating the tagged production information with corresponding recorded data.

09-17-2009

20100158473

CAMERA EVENT LOGGER - A camera event logger device coupled to a motion picture camera, including: a data port configured to receive control signals to manage the logger device including a particular receive frequency; a radio-frequency receiver configured to receive time signal of the particular receive frequency to enable fine adjustment of a timecode; a timecode manager including a plurality of timecode readers and at least one timecode generator, a first timecode reader of the plurality of timecode readers configured to receive the time signal from the radio-frequency receiver and make the time signal available to the at least one timecode generator, wherein the at least one timecode generator is configured to generate the timecode by conditioning the time signal, the timecode manager configured to receive camera timecode from the motion picture camera, and to send back adjusted camera timecode adjusted in accordance with the conditioned timecode; a processor configured to receive camera status information from the motion picture camera and the conditioned timecode from the timecode manager, wherein the camera status information is tagged with the conditioned timecode and processed to generate metadata files; and a storage unit configured to store the metadata files. Keywords include logger, timecode, and slate.

06-24-2010

20110249128

CAMERA EVENT LOGGER - A camera event logger device coupled to a motion picture camera, including: a data port configured to receive control signals to manage the logger device including a particular receive frequency; a radio-frequency receiver configured to receive time signal of the particular receive frequency to enable fine adjustment of a timecode; a timecode manager including a plurality of timecode readers and at least one timecode generator, a first timecode reader of the plurality of timecode readers configured to receive the time signal from the radio-frequency receiver and make the time signal available to the at least one timecode generator, wherein the at least one timecode generator is configured to generate the timecode by conditioning the time signal, the timecode manager configured to receive camera timecode from the motion picture camera, and to send back adjusted camera timecode adjusted in accordance with the conditioned timecode; a processor configured to receive camera status information from the motion picture camera and the conditioned timecode from the timecode manager, wherein the camera status information is tagged with the conditioned timecode and processed to generate metadata files; and a storage unit configured to store the metadata files. Keywords include logger, timecode, and slate.

SYSTEM FOR ENHANCING THE FUEL ECONOMY OF A DIESEL ENGINE - Methods and system for enhancing the fuel economy of a diesel engine is disclosed. The system is useable in a four stroke diesel engine to allow a first injection step to be performed whereby fuel is injected into the cylinders of a diesel engine to initiate combustion of the fuel within the cylinder. A second injection step then occurs, whereby an additive is injected into the cylinder, during the cycle but at a time different than the first injection step wherein the additive reaches the cylinder wall. The additive, which reaches the cylinder wall, provides friction modification and fuel economy benefits for a diesel engine.

12-01-2011

James S. Ketcham, Garner, NC US

Patent application number

Description

Published

20120255186

Door Frame Tool - Apparatuses and methods are provided for squaring, positioning, and leveling a door frame. The apparatus comprises a generally rectangular body, at least two magnets, and at least one leveling device. The method generally comprises positioning the apparatus of the invention in the center of where a doorway will be placed, contacting the vertical sides of the door frame with the apparatus such that each of the magnets on the apparatus is in magnetic contact with a vertical side of the door frame, and using the apparatus to correctly square, level, and set the door frame.

10-11-2012

Kameron Lee Ketcham, Mililani, HI US

Patent application number

Description

Published

20150013065

Multipurpose Wind Resistant Beach Towel - A multipurpose wind resistant beach towel that has trapezoid shaped open-ended pockets attached to the bottom surface of the towel to form sand traps that anchor said towel to the sand and prevent the wind from displacing the towel. Open-ended pockets are used for ease of filling and removal of sand. Additionally the present invention allows for the removal of unwanted sand and debris from the surface of the said towel without removing it from the anchored position. Optionally the present invention may be used as a lounge chair cover by anchoring the towel to the head and foot of the lounge chair by use of sand traps. Lastly, the present invention functions as an easy to carry and or hang towel.

01-15-2015

Michael Ketcham, Keller, TX US

Patent application number

Description

Published

20140029439

LONG TERM EVOLUTION TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND EVENT PLANNING - A network monitoring and configuration device may be configured in a network to receive condition data from devices across the network in order to perform network-wide reconfiguration to improve the service provided by the network. By analyzing data received from across the network regarding device utilization, link utilization, and other conditions, the network monitoring and configuration device may determine whether and how to redirect traffic, adjust delivery requirements, and re-provision network resources to improve service or avoid future service degradation. The network monitoring and configuration device may also receive data from external sources, such as emergency services providers, and use such data to further determine whether and how to configure the network.

01-30-2014

Rich Ketcham, Ames, IA US

Patent application number

Description

Published

20100089178

Corn Stalk strength measuring device - An apparatus for measuring stalk strength of a plant is disclosed. A force sensor is mounted to a harvester in a position to measure the resistance to crushing of the plant stalk by a stalk roll of the harvester. The apparatus may include a pair of counter rotating stalk rolls that pull and crush the plant stalk between them and a pair of stain gauges attached on either side of a mounting apparatus of the stalk rolls to sense both the tension and compression forces induced in the mounting apparatus by each of the rolls in response to the resistance to crushing of the plant stalk. Data collected by the invention can be advantageously used in a breeding program wherein breeding decisions are made based at least in part on stalk strength.

Coated Particulate Filter And Method - A particulate filter is provided having a filter body with at least one porous wall, and a porous coating on the wall, the coating having a median pore diameter less than 20 microns and a coating pore size deviation of less than 3 times the coating median pore diameter, and the coating having an average thickness of less than 50 microns. A method of manufacturing a particulate filter is also disclosed which includes providing a filter body with at least one porous wall, and depositing particles onto the wall, the particles having a mean particle diameter of less than about 30 microns.

05-27-2010

20100140330

Conductive Coatings, Sealing Materials and Devices Utilizing Such Materials and Method of Making - According to one embodiment t of the present invention a method of manufacturing metal-to-ceramic seals comprising the steps of: (a) providing a ferric stainless steel part selected from the group consisting of high temperature stainless steels and high temperature superalloy; (b) providing a ceramic part; (c) providing a braze material in between the ferric stainless steel part and said ceramic part, the braze containing Ag and metal oxide wetting agents; and (d) heating said ferric stainless steel part, braze material, and ceramic part in an oxidizing atmosphere.

06-10-2010

20100297534

Seal Structures for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Devices - Disclosed are seals and seal structures for use in electrochemical devices such as solid oxide fuel cell devices. Exemplary seal structures are configured such that at least a portion of the interface between the seal and electrolyte sheet deviates from planarity by extending either (i) upwardly and inwardly (ii) or downwardly and inwardly, toward the active portion of the electrolyte sheet surface where one or more device electrodes are deposited. By angling the seal portion of the electrolyte sheet, the sharpness of any resulting bends or deformations that may occur during use can be reduced, thus reducing the likelihood of any cracks forming in the typically high stress regions of the electrolyte sheet. Further, preferably at least a portion of the electrolyte sheet contacting the seal composition, the seal-electrolyte interface may deviate from planarity by at least 0.1 mm from the seal-electrolyte interface, where the deviation from planarity extends normal to the seal or inwardly toward the active surface region of the electrolyte sheet. Also disclosed are methods for manufacturing the inventive seal structures and electrochemical device assemblies comprising same.

11-25-2010

20110033779

Insulation for SOFC Systems - The invention is directed to insulating compositions for use in solid oxide fuel cells. Such compositions can be used to prevent seal damage and increase the electrical and ion efficiency.

02-10-2011

20110041469

Ceramic Radial Wall Flow Particulate Filter - The present disclosure relates to radial wall flow particulate filters comprised of ceramic material. The filters include a filter body that has a plurality of adjacent troughs circumferentially arranged around a longitudinal axis.

Thomas Dale Ketcham, Horsehesds, NY US

Patent application number

Description

Published

20110198785

Methods and Appartus for Casting Ceramic Sheets - A method for making a thin, free-standing ceramic sheet may include drawing a carrier film proximate a casting head and across a casting bed of a tape caster at a rate from about 2 cm/min to about 500 cm/min. Depositing a thin film of ceramic slip less than about 150 μm on the carrier film with the casting head. The ceramic slip may comprises a ceramic powder with an ultimate crystallite size of less than about 10 μm dispersed in a fluid vehicle such that the ceramic slip has a ceramic solids fraction of greater than about 20% by volume. The deposited ceramic slip may be dried on the carrier film thereby forming a green ceramic sheet on the carrier film. After the green ceramic sheet is dried, the green ceramic sheet may be sintered.

08-18-2011

Thomas Dale Ketcham, Horseheads, NY US

Patent application number

Description

Published

20140105545

GRADED COMPOSITION FOR OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE FERRULE - A ferrule for optical waveguides includes an exterior and an interior of the ferrule. The interior of the ferrule has a bore defined therein that is configured to receive an optical waveguide. Material of the ferrule is such that the material changes from the interior to the exterior of the ferrule, where the thermal expansion coefficient of the material transitions from less than 30×10−7/° C. at the interior of the ferrule to greater than 70×10−7/° C. at the exterior of the ferrule. The thermal expansion coefficient of the material may change by way of discrete layers in the material between the interior and exterior of the ferrule.

04-17-2014

20140105546

FERRULE SYSTEM FOR FIBER OPTIC CONNECTORS - An optical waveguide ferrule includes a body and a low-expansion material on one end of the body. The body of the ferrule is formed from a first material and has a bore extending lengthwise therethrough. The bore is configured to receive an optical fiber along a central axis of the ferrule. The low-expansion is configured to be heated without damaging the body.

04-17-2014

20140105547

FERRULE WITH STRESS-ISOLATION FEATURE - A ferrule for optical waveguides includes an exterior of the ferrule, an interior of the ferrule, and a stress-isolation region between the interior of the ferrule and the exterior of the ferrule. The interior of the ferrule has a bore defined therein that is configured to receive an optical waveguide. The material of the stress-isolation region has an elastic modulus that is less than the elastic modulus of material of the interior and exterior of the ferrule, whereby the stress-isolation region limits communication of stresses therebetween.

04-17-2014

20140150386

SUBSTRATE WITH SINUOUS WEB AND PARTICULATE FILTER INCORPORATING THE SAME - Described herein is a substrate including a central longitudinal axis, a first support web, and a second support web. A sinuous web may be positioned between the first support web and the second support web. The sinuous web may include transverse web portions and bridging web portions, where the bridging web portions alternatively connect ends of adjacent transverse web portions. The sinuous web may be connected to the first support web by support legs extending between bridging web portions and a surface of the first support web. The sinuous web may be connected to the second support web by support legs extending between bridging web portions and a surface of the second support web. A support leg length to distance between transverse web portions ratio may be from about 1.0 to about 4.0.

06-05-2014

20140150413

TROUGH FILTER WITH INTEGRATED THERMOELECTRIC GENERATOR, VEHICLE INCLUDING TROUGH FILTER, AND METHOD OF TREATING EXHAUST GAS - A trough filter integrated with a thermoelectric generator includes annular filter modules having a support structure at its inner circumference, a filter element, and a support structure at its outer circumference. The filter elements may be configured to form troughs. An annular exhaust gas outlet channel or gas inlet channel may be formed between filter modules. The thermoelectric generator may be positioned in the exhaust gas outlet or inlet channel. A vehicle includes the trough filter integrated with a thermoelectric generator downstream from an internal combustion engine. A method of treating exhaust gas uses a trough filter with an integrated thermoelectric generator.

06-05-2014

20150219860

METHODS OF SECURING ONE OR MORE OPTICAL FIBERS TO A FERRULE - A method of securing an optical fiber to a ferrule involves heating the ferrule to cause thermal expansion. A ferrule bore of the ferrule increases in diameter as a result of the thermal expansion, and an optical fiber is inserted into the ferrule bore. The ferrule is then cooled so that the ferrule bore decreases in diameter and forms a mechanical interface with the optical fiber. Finally, the optical fiber is fused to the ferrule by irradiating the optical fiber and the ferrule with laser energy.

08-06-2015

Wesly Ketcham, Chicago, IL US

Patent application number

Description

Published

20140310071

PHYSICALLY-BASED FINANCIAL ANALYSIS AND/OR FORECASTING METHODS, APPARATUS, AND SYSTEMS - Methods and apparatus for modeling well production. Such methods comprise modeling a production of a well (perhaps an open universe, generative model). Methods also comprise determining probability distributions for physical parameters associated with the well by training the model with historic well production data (perhaps using sparse sampling). Such methods also comprise determining a posterior distribution for the model by sampling probability distributions for the parameters. Some methods further comprise determining a posterior distribution for the well's production using the model's posterior distribution. Non-Gaussian (Laplacian) noise can be added to the model. Methods can comprise financially modeling the well. Some methods comprise using MCMC sampling to converge the parameter posterior distribution for the well's production. An EUR for the well can be determined along with an uncertainty associated with the posterior distribution for the production. If desired, some methods comprise modeling multi-phase flow in the well.